Wednesday, 27 August 2008

Allow me to introduce Skilf the entertainer. That second part isn't actually his name, it's what he is so I added it. Having already turned his plough to Garage and Drum 'n' Bass MC'ing Skilf is finally reaping a Hip Hop crop albeit with strains of other genres.

'Slow Me Down' is a pounding mover produced by Toni Toolz and Skilf raps non-stop only punctuated in the chorus by Michelle Ericsson's 'Slow Me Down' refrain. As I write and listen both me and my wife are bouncing in our seats; you can only imagine how this one would work in the club. Rhymes come thick and fast, not just your one-word-at-end-of-line rhymes, as Skilf chats about work ethic and folk who attempt to hinder progress.

The single also contains two more tracks, 'Lemme See Ya' and 'Dead Ender'. 'Lemme See Ya' follows in the footsteps of 'Slow Me Down' although BPM's are down a few notches. Boastful wordplay and calls for crowd interaction pepper this track although it plays second fiddle to the lead track. 'Dead Ender' is slower again and details Skilf's path through education and into the working world. Regretting working hard at uni, boring employment and the British tendency to spend, spend, spend are covered lightheartedly with a liberal amount of comedy quotables. A great track.

'Slow Me Down' is out on Riztone Records on the 8th September and his debut album 'Original Visions' is already available. His website is pretty comprehensive if you want bio, pics and music. I would never say these words but Mike Lewis did this month in HHC: "If I had to tip one act for the top, Skilf would be it".

*'Slow Me Down' and 'Dead Ender' are in the awesome Certified Banger flash player to your right*